"I--I'm very sorry. Indeed I am, Grandfather Frog," said Peter very
humbly. "Will you tell me if I come again some time when you are not
so sleepy?"

Now, like everybody else, Grandfather Frog is rather fond of Peter
Rabbit, and now Peter looked so truly sorry, and at the same time
there was such a look of disappointment in Peter's eyes, that
Grandfather Frog forgot all about his crossness.

"Chug-a-rum!" said he. "You and your questions are a nuisance, Peter
Rabbit, and I may as well get rid of you now as to have you keep
coming down here and pestering me to death. Besides, any one who has
to keep such a sharp watch for Reddy Fox as you do ought to know why
he wears a red coat. If you'll promise to sit perfectly still and ask
no foolish questions, I'll tell you the story."

Of course Peter promised, and settled himself comfortably to listen.
And this is the story that Grandfather Frog told:

"A long time ago, when the world was young, old Mr. Fox, the
grandfather a thousand times removed of Reddy Fox, was one of the
smartest of all the forest and meadow people, just as Reddy is now. He
was so smart that he knew enough not to appear smart, and the fact is
his neighbors thought him rather dull. He wore just a common, everyday
suit of dull brown, like most of the others, and there wasn't anything
about him to attract attention. He was always very polite, very polite
indeed, to every one. Yes, Sir, Mr. Fox was very polite. He always
seemed to be minding his own business, and he never went around asking
foolish questions or poking his nose into other people's affairs."